duncan228
06-25-2008, 11:54 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA062608.BKN.SpursDraft.EN.3c8eaacd.html
NBA: Spurs shoot for future stars in tonight's draft
Jeff McDonald
Seven years ago, the Spurs used the 28th pick in the NBA draft to select a skinny, unknown teenager from France, hoping only that one day he would blossom into a starter.
Eventually, Tony Parker turned out to be an All-Star and a Finals MVP.
In the six drafts since, the Spurs have been unable to recapture that late first-round lightning in a bottle. Heading into this year’s annual NBA Pick-apalooza tonight, they are expecting that streak to continue.
“You’re not going to get Tony Parker every year at that position,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We’re just hoping to get a player there who can be an NBA player, someday.”
Part of the penance for the Spurs’ success in the past decade is a perpetual draft position in the mid-to-low 20s.
So while the front offices in Chicago and Miami tonight ponder the idea of landing the “Who’s who” of this year’s crop — Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, Kansas State forward Michael Beasley and Southern California guard O.J. Mayo among them — the Spurs are again left to sift through a handful of “Who’s that?” prospects at the bottom of the first round.
Their first-round pick this year — No. 26 overall — is actually two spots better than the one used to nab Parker in 2001. They also have two second-round picks, Nos. 45 and 57 overall.
Odds are, whomever the Spurs tab at those spots will not figure heavily in their plans next season. Recent history suggests it will be a tall enough task for new prospects to even make the team immediately.
The draft has not been the Spurs’ most oft-used tool for retooling: Outside of the All-Star triumvirate of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Parker, no member of the team’s %regular rotation last season was originally a Spurs draft pick.
Instead, the Spurs have filled in the blanks around their “Big Three” with veteran free agents, moderately priced. That seems to be the game plan this offseason as well.
“We want people who can play now, who can add to our bench now,” Popovich said. “People who could play if we had a game tomorrow.”
That’s not to say the Spurs are planning to eschew tonight’s festivities altogether.
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford has been dealt enough of these 20-something picks to know what to expect.
Lesson No. 1: Stock up on plenty of caffeine and NoDoz.
“It takes a long time to get through 26 or 27 names,” Buford said.
Lesson No. 2: Even the best-laid plans can be blown up by the whims of two dozen other teams picking before him.
“You only have available what you have available,” Buford said. “You’re definitely at the mercy of the depth of the talent pool.”
If the Spurs’ wish list is exhausted early, they haven’t ruled out trading out of the first round. Team officials, however, remain optimistic that this year’s draft is deep enough to leave them a player worth selecting at No. 26.
That player might even — gasp! — be another foreigner.
One of the Spurs’ favorite draft-day ploys has been to take a foreign-born player with lottery talent and an overseas contract, and then stashing him in Europe until he’s ready for the NBA.
High-profile struggles in getting draft picks Luis Scola and, more recently, Tiago Splitter into a Spurs jersey apparently have not made the team skittish about going that route again.
“It’s better to have someone baking in the oven than to take somebody who you know can’t play,” Popovich said.
Among the available college players believed to have worked out for the Spurs are Maryland forward James Gist, IUPUI guard George Hill, UNC-Greensboro forward Kyle Hines, California center DeVon Hardin, Tennessee-Martin guard Lester Hudson, Arkansas guard Sonny Weems, Houston forward Dion Dowell and Alabama forward Richard Hendrix.
A handful of overseas prospects are also believed to be on the Spurs’ radar, including French forwards Nicolas Batum and Alexis Ajinca, as well as Serge Ibaka, a 6-foot-10, 18-year-old forward from the Congo.
If the Spurs are looking for the next Tony Parker in that group, an immediate impact player, chances are they aren’t going to find him.
“Nobody we pick at that position is going to help us immediately,” Popovich said. “Maybe he helps you two or three years down the road, maybe he can be a sub. But you’re not going to get an impact player right off the bat.”
Notebook: Popovich and Buford will have additional help making their draft-night decision. Parker had lunch with Popovich in New York City recently and asked how the head coach and executive vice-president of basketball operations would feel about his hanging around the draft night “war room” to see how the process takes place.
“Pop said that would be no problem,” Parker said Wednesday afternoon during a conference call after EA Sports announced he would be on the cover of its next edition of the NBA Live video game. “I’m very excited, looking forward to how it goes and just to learn about it.”
Can the Spurs count on Parker for some inside knowledge about French prospects Nicolas Batum or Alexis Ajinca, both projected to go in the latter stages of the first round?
“To be honest,” Parker said, “I don’t know that much about them. I’ve never seen them play. I’ve just heard stuff about them. But I wish them luck.”
Parker has been traveling extensively since the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs, from New York City to France and Italy, even to Russia.
Up next: More travel.
“This time,” he said, “the real vacation. The other travel was extra, only because we didn’t go to the Finals.”
What did he think of the Finals?
“I didn’t watch any of it,” he said.
NBA: Spurs shoot for future stars in tonight's draft
Jeff McDonald
Seven years ago, the Spurs used the 28th pick in the NBA draft to select a skinny, unknown teenager from France, hoping only that one day he would blossom into a starter.
Eventually, Tony Parker turned out to be an All-Star and a Finals MVP.
In the six drafts since, the Spurs have been unable to recapture that late first-round lightning in a bottle. Heading into this year’s annual NBA Pick-apalooza tonight, they are expecting that streak to continue.
“You’re not going to get Tony Parker every year at that position,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We’re just hoping to get a player there who can be an NBA player, someday.”
Part of the penance for the Spurs’ success in the past decade is a perpetual draft position in the mid-to-low 20s.
So while the front offices in Chicago and Miami tonight ponder the idea of landing the “Who’s who” of this year’s crop — Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, Kansas State forward Michael Beasley and Southern California guard O.J. Mayo among them — the Spurs are again left to sift through a handful of “Who’s that?” prospects at the bottom of the first round.
Their first-round pick this year — No. 26 overall — is actually two spots better than the one used to nab Parker in 2001. They also have two second-round picks, Nos. 45 and 57 overall.
Odds are, whomever the Spurs tab at those spots will not figure heavily in their plans next season. Recent history suggests it will be a tall enough task for new prospects to even make the team immediately.
The draft has not been the Spurs’ most oft-used tool for retooling: Outside of the All-Star triumvirate of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Parker, no member of the team’s %regular rotation last season was originally a Spurs draft pick.
Instead, the Spurs have filled in the blanks around their “Big Three” with veteran free agents, moderately priced. That seems to be the game plan this offseason as well.
“We want people who can play now, who can add to our bench now,” Popovich said. “People who could play if we had a game tomorrow.”
That’s not to say the Spurs are planning to eschew tonight’s festivities altogether.
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford has been dealt enough of these 20-something picks to know what to expect.
Lesson No. 1: Stock up on plenty of caffeine and NoDoz.
“It takes a long time to get through 26 or 27 names,” Buford said.
Lesson No. 2: Even the best-laid plans can be blown up by the whims of two dozen other teams picking before him.
“You only have available what you have available,” Buford said. “You’re definitely at the mercy of the depth of the talent pool.”
If the Spurs’ wish list is exhausted early, they haven’t ruled out trading out of the first round. Team officials, however, remain optimistic that this year’s draft is deep enough to leave them a player worth selecting at No. 26.
That player might even — gasp! — be another foreigner.
One of the Spurs’ favorite draft-day ploys has been to take a foreign-born player with lottery talent and an overseas contract, and then stashing him in Europe until he’s ready for the NBA.
High-profile struggles in getting draft picks Luis Scola and, more recently, Tiago Splitter into a Spurs jersey apparently have not made the team skittish about going that route again.
“It’s better to have someone baking in the oven than to take somebody who you know can’t play,” Popovich said.
Among the available college players believed to have worked out for the Spurs are Maryland forward James Gist, IUPUI guard George Hill, UNC-Greensboro forward Kyle Hines, California center DeVon Hardin, Tennessee-Martin guard Lester Hudson, Arkansas guard Sonny Weems, Houston forward Dion Dowell and Alabama forward Richard Hendrix.
A handful of overseas prospects are also believed to be on the Spurs’ radar, including French forwards Nicolas Batum and Alexis Ajinca, as well as Serge Ibaka, a 6-foot-10, 18-year-old forward from the Congo.
If the Spurs are looking for the next Tony Parker in that group, an immediate impact player, chances are they aren’t going to find him.
“Nobody we pick at that position is going to help us immediately,” Popovich said. “Maybe he helps you two or three years down the road, maybe he can be a sub. But you’re not going to get an impact player right off the bat.”
Notebook: Popovich and Buford will have additional help making their draft-night decision. Parker had lunch with Popovich in New York City recently and asked how the head coach and executive vice-president of basketball operations would feel about his hanging around the draft night “war room” to see how the process takes place.
“Pop said that would be no problem,” Parker said Wednesday afternoon during a conference call after EA Sports announced he would be on the cover of its next edition of the NBA Live video game. “I’m very excited, looking forward to how it goes and just to learn about it.”
Can the Spurs count on Parker for some inside knowledge about French prospects Nicolas Batum or Alexis Ajinca, both projected to go in the latter stages of the first round?
“To be honest,” Parker said, “I don’t know that much about them. I’ve never seen them play. I’ve just heard stuff about them. But I wish them luck.”
Parker has been traveling extensively since the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs, from New York City to France and Italy, even to Russia.
Up next: More travel.
“This time,” he said, “the real vacation. The other travel was extra, only because we didn’t go to the Finals.”
What did he think of the Finals?
“I didn’t watch any of it,” he said.